UsaMamo - An Identity Revealed
by purinsesu-sereniti
Summary: When a fight goes wrong for Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon is there to save him, but the fight ends with her badly wounded. Mamoru, in the days that follow, noticed the annoying twin-tailed girl he's grown so used to bumping into has seemingly vanished, and he can't help but to wonder where she has disappeared to.
1. Chapter 1

Was she... Was she crying?

Mamoru blinked into awareness, his whole body full of pain, every limb screaming in protest as he shifted there on the ground. His eyes opened and peering down at him were eyes of the softest blue he'd ever seen, eyes that immediately plummeted him into the blurry memories of a life he had left behind. Visions of a girl with long, flowing hair who called out to him as this girl called to him. "Tuxedo Mask...?" Her soft vocals brought him back again and he could not help himself from reaching up a hand, gingerly touching the curve of her cheek, his fingertips wet with her tears.

"Sailor Moon..." He allowed her to help him into a sitting position, both of them turning as the monster behind them began to cackle. Her eyes widened but she stiffened her spine and rose up to stand, trembling but standing all the same. If she heard him speak, she did not acknowledge his words, but rather remained facing forwards, her wand gripped tightly in her hand.

She was alone.

Fighting alone, it was something she'd forgotten to do now that she had friends and comrades to help her. But, this time she was alone, and this time she had more than just herself to protect. She cast a glance over her shoulder to where Tuxedo Mask remained on the ground behind her, his smoldering eyes dark with worry behind his mask. No, this was not a time to be weak or afraid, this was the time to hold her own and prove once and for all that she was the true leader of the senshi. That she would find and protect the princess with all of her might, because that was her duty. "Stay here," she commanded of the young man then, who looked up at her in surprise, their eyes meeting for the briefest of moments. But then she smiled, all remnants of her tears and fears gone. "I'll protect you, I promise."

He watched as she dashed forward, leaping into the air to dodge a quick attack from the monster ahead of her. The thing growled and lunged at her, narrowly missing her with its razor sharp claws. "Back off!" She cried out as the monster came at her a second time, though this time she had only enough time to raise her wand, close her eyes, and say a silent prayer. The Moon Stick exploded in light, brilliant and pure, burning the monster away in mere seconds, leaving her standing there, wondering what had just happened. But, the threat was now gone, and she could not help but pump a fist into the air, so pleased she was with herself for winning all on her own. Just as she was turning back to Tuxedo Mask, every intention to help him to his feet and get him home, when she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Something dark was looming just behind her.

She spun back around just in time to face the evil general, Kunzite appear from what she could only describe as a dark portal. His eyes flashed as they met her own gaze and then he glanced behind her, seeing the masked man there on the ground, defenseless. "I grow weary of your meddling, Sailor Moon." The general growled, his eyes closing for only a moment, before they reopened and dark energy began to gather in his hands. "I grow tired of you and all humans, really," he was still speaking, eyes on the soldier again, who had taken a step or two back, her golden hair dancing in the wind that his power was calling forth. "I grow tired of your constant meddling in the Dark Kingdom's affairs," he glanced to his right, to where his monster had been reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash. A glimmer of something crossed his features and a sharp, malicious smile fell into place upon his lips.

Usagi knew the attack was coming a moment before he released it; but it did not come for her, as she had expected. No, she saw its trail a moment later, and she knew just was Kunzite was doing. Without thinking, Usagi was on the move, racing forwards and managing to, just in the knick of time, throw herself in front of the attack that was aimed straight at Tuxedo Mask. A moment before it hit her, their eyes met, his dark and wide, and she offered him the smallest of smiles... And then it hit. She was thrown forwards as the attack hit her in the small of her back, sending her flying across the ground, her skin scraping against the hard cement. From somewhere, Kunzite was laughing, but only Mamoru would notice the strange look in his eyes, as if he had not expected the young soldier to so willingly sacrifice herself for someone else. He then faded back into the portal from where he had come, leaving the street dark and empty once again.

Mamoru was on the move then, his own injuries suddenly forgotten as he scrambled to reach the fallen senshi. He knelt beside her, gingerly turning her over onto her back, only after his eyes swept over the spot the attack had hit her; the injury looked more like a burn than anything else, and he knew it had to be painful. The rest of her was covered in scrapes now as well, from her body repeatedly rolling across the street, and he could see a bruise beginning to form on her temple. She was moaning softly then, her face contorting with pain as her blue eyes fluttered open. He was hit hard with a memory then, of a time long before then, when a pair of eyes looked at him with that very same look; eyes so full of relief that he was safe. He had seen those eyes before, but when? "Sailor Moon... You're so reckless." He murmured as he helped her into a sitting position. "Why did you do such a thing?"

The pain was beyond anything she had ever before experienced but she felt nothing but relief as she heard Tuxedo Mask's voice speaking to her. That meant he was safe, that meant he had not been harmed. Allowing him to help her sit up, she tried to grin, forcing away the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "Because it's my duty to protect this planet and everyone that lives here." She said simply, lifting her shoulders in a shrug, as if she had not just risked her life to save him. "Besides, you would have done the same for me." She grinned and he returned the smile, rising to his feet and helping her up, his concern returning as she stumbled almost at once, clearly in more pain than she was letting on.

"Let me help you," he said softly and without waiting for a response, he had scooped her into his arms, a familiar sensation coursing through both of their bodies. Almost as if... Almost as if they had been here before. The senshi did not fight him but rather lay her head against his shoulder, allowing him to carry her off into the night. "Tell me where to take you."

Not ten minutes later, he was depositing her into her bedroom, carefully navigating both she and him through her window. Her bedroom was dark and in his drive to ensure she was okay, he did not even bother to look around him. Before he had even laid her down on the bed, he knew she was unconcious, and he worried for her. He pulled the blankets out from under her and pulled them over her slim frame, noticing then the pattern of rabbits and moons on her comforter. Something about that filled him with ease and he could not help but to smile upon the sleeping senshi. But, he knew he had to go. Without another thought, he moved across the room and was gone out the window, disppearing into the night.

[ x x x ]

Mamoru could not help but to notice that he'd not seen her in a few days.

He had grown quite accustomed to seeing the twin-tailed blonde on a regular basis; he had grown used to hearing her shrill voice and her bubbly laughter. He had, in all honesty, grown fond of the girl and how easy it was to annoy her. But, two days had gone by since he'd last seen her, which he found odd. What was even more odd to him was how restless it left him feeling.

But then, on the third day since he'd seen her, Mamoru caught sight of her.

She was sitting by the fountain in the park, alone surprisingly, not even with her little black cat that usually hung around her. There was something a little off about her, that he could tell, even from a distance. She looked lost, staring off into space as if she had something on her mind. What made him approach, he could not really say, but as always something told him to interact with the young woman. His footsteps must have alerted her because she turned at once, catching sight of him. Her nose wrinkled in distaste and suddenly she was herself again, folding her arms over her chest and turning her head the other way. "Oh, it's you," she said disdainly, eyes closed, arms still folded across her chest.

"Don't sound so excited to see me, odango," he said with a chuckle, coming to stand before her, casting her into shadow. "It's been a few days, did you forget your way to the park?" She turned to him then, her blue eyes darkening with her frustration. For a moment he thought she might leap to her feet, jab a finger into his chest all while giving him an earful, but she instead remained where she was sitting, peering up at him with her brows furrowed in irritation.

"Not that it's any of _your_ business, but I've been sick," she replied with a quick roll of her eyes, arms returning to their folded position. Now that she mentioned it, she did look a little pale, perhaps that explained why she was not the spitfire she normally was. In fact, now that Mamoru examined her just a little more closely, he could see that something was indeed off about her today, something more than her just being ill. The wind blew then, pushing the hair away from her face and that was when he saw it, the remnants of a bruise on her temple. He blinked and then the wind ceased and her hair fell back into place, hiding the bruise from his prying eyes. She must have noticed him staring at her because she blushed furiously and turned away again, mumbling something about him being a creep.

"I hope... I hope you're feeling better," he tried to sound nonchalant, but his mind was whirling, his heart racing. It just wasn't possible. He heard approaching footsteps and he turned to see three girls coming their way, her three friends she was so rarely without these days. Even her little black cat was there, perched on the shoulder of the short, blue-haired girl he knew was named Ami. The cat, Luna, lept down and raced ahead, jumping up onto the fountain beside Usagi and crawling onto her lap. Usagi ran a single hand down the entire length of the cat, smiling as her friends approached her. He stepped back, raising a hand in a silent gesture of goodbye, but did not go far. He moved until he was out of their line of sight, but continued to watch, his mind still yet whirling with a hundred different thoughts. The dark haired girl, a priestess he knew her to be, was kneeling before the blonde, saying something he could not hear, her eyes full of concern. Usagi was nodding to whatever it was that she was saying and then the girl rose and another friend stepped forwards. Mamoru watched as the tall brunette helped her up and slung a gentle arm around her, as if hugging her, but Mamoru knew at once what she was doing. She was helping her to walk.

The foursome went by him then, their voices lost to him as he caught sight of the exposed skin on Usagi's back- a wound of some kind covered by bandages. Mamoru could not believe it and in truth, wasn't sure he _could_ believe it. The girls disappeared around a corner, leaving him standing there, lost and unsure.

[ x x x ]

How fiercely they were fighting!

Mamoru watched from his perch upon the streetlamp, waiting for his moment to swoop in, should he be needed. He watched her out of all of them- with her billowing golden hair and determined blue eyes. He had never, not once, not ever, expected the heroine Sailor Moon to be the girl that she was. It didn't make sense. But, there was now no denying it. He knew it was true, that Sailor Moon was this Tsukino Usagi that he bumped into regularly. He still couldn't believe it.

He saw his opening then, a moment before the monster was going to blast the senshi with its attack. His rose touched down, blocking the attack and making the monster shriek in fury. "Now, Sailor Moon!" He called out to her and in a moment the soldier had her wand in hand, reducing the monster to dust now that she had her chance. They stood across from one another now, he looking at her and she at him, her three comrades gathered behind her.

"It's okay guys, go on home." She said, not taking her eyes off of him, not even when Luna jumped onto her shoulder. "You too, Luna," she said softly to the cat who after a moment, jumped down and instead climbed up onto Mercury's shoulder. Though her friends seemed hesitant, they finally turned to go when she cast them a quick glance, her smile encouraging. When they were gone, she turned back to him, her blue eyes aglow in the moonlight. "Thanks for helping us."

"I've been worried about you," he admitted in a rush, feeling the heat rise into his cheeks the moment they had left his lips. She too was blushing, looking shyly down at her feet, shifting beneath his gaze. "That attack... It..." He recalled just how injured she had been that night and of course that day in the park. "You seemed really hurt, is all." He finished finally, giving his head a shake as he tried to find the words to say.

Usagi felt her heart beating fast, faster than it had in all of her life. Why did he make her feel this way? "I'm alright," she replied, reaching a hand up to gingerly touch her temple that still yet ached, even a few days later. Her back was still badly burned from the attack Kunzite had hit her with, but she was on the mend. "You don't have to worry about me." She offered him a quick smile, as if to tell him everything was going to be okay.

"I do worry about you." He said without thinking, the words coming out as if they needed to be said. "That's what calls me to your battles every night." He had never really been able to explain to himself even how he knew where she was or when she needed him.. He just, well, he just knew. But as the days had turned to weeks he had come to realize he worried for her and that was what kept calling him back to her, as if they were strung together by fate. "I'm glad you're doing better," he added then, wondering what she would have said had he called her by her given name. But no, he would not do that, he would not let her know that he knew the truth. Not yet at least. "You should go, your friends will be the ones to worry now."

Tilting her head to the side, Usagi peered closely up at the masked man, wondering what he was thinking about. She could not say why she did what she did next, but she closed the gap between them, embracing him tightly. He stiffened for only a moment, before his arms came around her as well, though gently did he hold her. "Until next time." She said when she pulled back, raising her hand in a sign of goodbye, her smile brilliant as the light from the moon above. "Good night, Tuxedo Mask."

"Good night, Sailor Moon." He watched as she vanished into the night, her scent clinging to him, reminding him again of the girl from his dream. A sweet, familiar scent that he felt he had always known. "Good night, Tsukino Usagi." He turned on his heel then, his tuxedo vanishing, replaced with his civilian clothes from earlier that day. He was gone then, returning home to where he would toss and turn for the entire night, his mind hopelessly stuck on her and wondering if she thought of him too.

Across the city, Usagi too remained awake in her bed, both uncomfortable from her healing injuries and from the man on her mind. She was reminded of a dream whenever she looked into his eyes, a dream of a voice calling out to her a name she could never quite make out. And then warm arms would wrap around her and she felt safe and warm, just as she had when Tuxedo Mask's arms had been around her.

And so, both lay awake well into the night, unaware that both thought of the other, but when both finally drifted off to sleep, it would be the same dream that they dreamed. A dream of a glittering palace, with stars and earth the backdrop. A dream of hushed voices and the sweetest of kisses.

A dream that when they woke, left both wanting so much more.


	2. Chapter 2

She and the others arrived on scene, she front and center, her body shielding the Princess from sight. Usagi could feel the Princess pressed up against her, and she glanced over her shoulder, offering her a quick smile before she turned back to Kunzite. "How dare you use the energy of the people of earth for your evil!" She raised a hand, pointing it directly at his chest. "You'll pay! Moon Healing Escalation!" She cried out her attack, her wand movements quick and precise; she felt confident, with her four comrades behind her, one of them the Princess she was fated to look after, she felt as if she could do anything at all. Kunzite however, was all too prepared for her, and a barrier came up around him just in the knick of time, preventing her attack from hitting him. He remained silent, aside from a malicious sounding chuckle, and raised his hand up. In an instant he was shooting back an attack of his own, one that _she_ was not prepared for.

The attack hit her hard and she was thrust backwards, giving her only a split second to realize what was happening. "Sailor Moon!" Her comrades cried out in unison, Venus reaching for her as if she might save her from what was to come. But Usagi knew and oh God was she terrified. Fear raced through her but she hardly had the time to process it as she went over the ledge of the building, freefalling down towards the ground. _I'm falling,_ was all she could think as she fell, faster and faster, tears pouring down her cheeks, unable to even scream. But then, arms were catching her, warm arms that offered her both safety and warmth. Tuxedo Mask had appeared, out of thin air it seemed, to catch her and as he always did, save her life. _No way are you here... Tuxedo Mask, you saved me again!_ He teetered on the ledge for just a moment, having touched down on a rafter of the tower he had been called to. He had been woken from a sound sleep, one with dreams plagued by the young woman with the long hair, the woman who called out to him... She threw her arms around him, breathing hard and fast, his arms holding to her as she cried for only a moment. Mamoru knew he had truly saved her from death's door- he did not blame her for needing someone to hold onto, if only for a moment.

But then she was pulling back, her blue eyes wide in her face. "You can't be here!" She suddenly was saying, looking upwards for just a moment. "We're going to take down the enemy. Go somewhere safe." She was looking him in the face and for a moment, Usagi felt comforted by just the warmth of his hands still on her back. She could not say why she did what she did next- fear, maybe? Or perhaps because she had come quite close to dying that day. Whatever it was, she was glad for it. Usagi flung her arms around him one last time, remembering the moment they'd shared like this only weeks before, when she had saved his life from Kunzite's attack. They had embraced in quite the similiar way a few days after, an embrace that had filled her with more questions than anything else. Her lips found his and she felt him stiffen in shock, but then she pulled back seconds later, her cheeks flushed but her lips still smiling.

And then she was gone, leaping upwards onto another rafter, and then it was as if her power was lifting her up, back up to the battlefield. _Sailor Moon.._ Mamoru thought as he watched her go, _you seem so strong today! It's as if everytime I see you, I'm seeing a new side of you..._ He felt something tighten inside of his heart and he rose to his full height, gloved fingertips tracing his lips as he recalled the way her lips had felt against his. _Just what type of girl are you really?_

Above him, the battle was raging on once again.

Kunzite hovered before them, wrapped in an orb of light, one that seemed to be impenetrable, not even Jupiter's Thunder could break past it. It was almost as if their attacks were merely being swallowed up by his barrier. They had to break it and they had to do it fast. "Go ahead, keep attacking me!" Kunzite finally called out, his laughter carrying along the wind. His orb had begun to glow and Usagi could see it then, the elements of her friend's attacks swirling together as one. "I'm going to destroy this city and everyone that lives here! You girls included!"

Usagi gasped and she spun on the spot, hair whipping about her face as Kunzite's attack grew stronger. "Protect the Princess!" She cried out, extending out the Moon Stick which began to fiercely glow. "Take her some place safe!" And just like that, an orb of pure white light was wrapped around Venus and the others, protecting them from the attack that was seconds away from launching. She turned back then, facing Kunzite with determined eyes, the Moon Stick still yet clutched in her hands. If she was going to die this day, at least it would be for her Princess...

Tuxedo Mask was on the move again, not heeding the words spoken to him by the senshi just a few minutes before. How could he... How could he leave her like that? No, he couldn't, and he wouldn't leave her until the battle was won. As he climbed over the side of the tower, he saw what was happening. "No..." He whispered, eyes darting from the Dark Kingdom general to the senshi, who was staring down death with next to no fear. Behind her, her four comrades floated in an orb of their own light, suspended in air and protected from harm, unable to reach the blonde in time to save her. There was nothing they could do. _This time I'll be the one to protect her!_ He recalled a few weeks prior, to when she had shielded him from an attack, one that had left her badly wounded and ultimately led him to discover her true identity. Now, it was his turn. He leapt forward, his feet hitting the cement and in three great strides he jumped, coming down just in time for the attack to rush at him. He closed his eyes and everything went black.

Usagi could not move.

Fear filled her, she was afraid to die, but not afraid to sacrifice herself for someone she cared about. The images of her Princess and fellow senshi flashed before her eyes and she knew at least they were safe. The Moon Stick tumbled from her hands as she rose them up, a vain attempt to shield herself from the attack. She closed her eyes and offered up a silent prayer to the universe and prepared herself... But it did not come. In fact, she was hit by something bulky, but it did not cause her any pain at all. From somewhere, she heard gasping and her eyes fluttered open, shock registering on her face only a moment later. "Tuxedo Mask!" She cried out as he slumped backwards, his injuries quite evident as he fell against her. Her stomach tightened as she fell to the ground with him, careful not to jostle him as she lay him against her legs, so she could peer over him. "Tuxedo Mask! Hang in there, please! Tuxedo Mask!"

 _Someone... Someone is calling out to me..._ Mamoru realized he could still yet hear, could still yet think, so surely that meant he still lived. The pain was, without a doubt, worse than any pain he'd ever felt in his whole life. It was indescribable. It was enough for him to wish he was dead. But, that voice... Someone calling out to him... A voice he had heard over and over again. His eyes fluttered and he could make her out above him, her long hair falling over her shoulders and into her face, her blue eyes wide and full of unshed tears. He had seen this before, in fact, all of this had happened long before. _Endymion..._ That had been what she had called him. That had been his name then, Endymion... The memory of her voice calling out to him filled his mind as he looked up into her eyes; the memory of impossibly long hair, of blue eyes so bright they reminded him of sapphires, it was all he could think of. It was all coming back to him then- memories flooded him and he reached up shaking hands, palms cupping her tear-stained cheeks as he whispered her name. "... Serenity..." _That's right, I was reborn here to see you again..._ He felt his arms weakening and his hands slipped from her face.

And that, well, that was it for him.

 _Serenity..._ That name... Why did he call her such a thing? But then she was remembering, remembering that foggy dream she'd had all of her life. Of a voice calling out to her, of arms that held her so lovingly, of a kiss sweeter than any desert had ever tasted. Serenity... That had been her name. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as his hands began to slip away, falling to lay at his sides as his dark blue eyes closed and his head fell to the side. Seconds ticked by and then as she realized what had just happened, Usagi let out an earsplitting scream. Power was suddenly flowing through her and her forehead grew hot, as it did whenever her tiara was changing, but this time it shattered and its place, tattooed between her brows was a small, golden moon. Everything was changing then; her hair was growing longer than ever before and her fuku was gone, replaced by a white silk gown that she remembered almost as much as she remembered him. Strange, little memories were flooding her mind, filling her up and overwhelming her every sense. "Endymion..." She whispered his name but his eyes did not flutter nor did he stir. Above him hovered the star shaped locket he had given her and she held out her hands, allowing it to fall into place between her palms, her eyes widening as she watched its hands begin to spin backwards. Time was racing backwards, ticking back to unravel the tragedy that was their past.

Every memory flashed through her mind then; of sneaking down to earth to see him, the planet's prince with eyes so blue they might swallow her whole. The whisper of the wind in the trees as he held her in the gardens, stealing a kiss before her guardians would surely interrupt them. Their love had been forbidden, but how could they stop? Her memories continued to flow, every last one of them passing her by. A memory of a battle that destroyed her home and took away everything she had ever known and loved. He had been slain in that battle, she recalled, still feeling the sting of that, even a lifetime later. She then could remember how heavy his steel sword had been in her hands, but that was where the memory faded away, leaving her back in the present. Was this... Was this truly their fate? Had they truly been reborn only to be torn apart yet again? It just couldn't be. "Endymion, please... Open your eyes..." Her tears renewed she closed her eyes for a moment, opening them and hoping with her every fiber that his eyes would be staring back at her. "Please..." She whispered as the tears began to fall freely from her eyes, her heart breaking into a thousand little pieces inside her chest. _I haven't told you anything about myself yet, have I? You don't even know me at all..._ One single tear traced the curve of her cheek and her lips parted ever so slightly, as if she meant to speak, but could not find the words. _You are the only man I have ever loved..._ The tear dripped from her cheek and at once, there was an explosion of light so bright that it was blinding.

And then, there it was.

Hovering above her palm and glowing fiercely, was a small gemstone that power was flowing freely from. Its light was pure and strong, filling all four of the guardians with power, while below on the street, any and all plants touched by the pure white light grew, even those close to death. In the homes below, those who were ill began to feel better again, and within moments it was as if they had never been sick at all. "No way... That's the Silver Crystal," Venus was whispering, who's own tiara had long since fallen back into place. Her blue eyes were wide and she felt her heart hammering hard inside of her chest.

A piece of the brilliantly glowing crystal broke free and with it went all of the shine from the thing, the small piece embedding itself into Mamoru's chest, the light disappearing altogether then. In an instant, all hell was breaking loose again, and behind Kunzite appeared the vision of a woman with eyes like daggers, who commanded him to steal the crystal and take her life. Kunzite moved at once, fully prepared to kill her and take the crystal from her hands, though it's shine was gone. Jupiter and Venus were in front of her then, shielding her from his attack, but Mamoru slipped from her grasp and tumbled downwards. "Endymion!" She cried out as he fell, landing in Kunzite's arms, who looked up at her with malicious eyes.

"We can't take him," Venus said, looking to Jupiter, who then nodded, and the two of them began to drag Usagi back, who began to struggle, crying out his name again and again. But a dark portal opened behind Kunzite and he stepped through it, vanishing from sight, taking Mamoru with him.

Just like that, he was gone.


End file.
